Supporting San Diego County residents with their home, school, and community garden projects
Gardens are an important part of healthy, sustainable communities. As a Regional Gardening Education Center, Solana Center received funding from the countywide Healthy Works program to develop a "library" of garden tools to lend to members of the community with free tool rentals!
Our lending shed includes a variety of tools, from basic garden spades and pruning tools to a post hole digger and a long-handled fruit picker. View the full list of tools and read the borrowing procedures below to check out tools.
Our Tool Lending Library was made possible with support from the City of Encinitas and Mizel Family Foundation Community Grant Program. Donations are appreciated in order to maintain and expand this ongoing community resource.
How to borrow tools from the Tool Lending Library
Getting started with your garden project is as easy as 1, 2, 3! Thank you for participating in our program and encouraging a low-waste circular system of borrowing instead of buying.
Step 1
Make your reservation by filling out our Borrower's Agreement & Waiver form. The form will prompt you to:
- Provide your information.
- Agree to lending terms
- View and choose from available tools
- Select when to pick up and return your tools. Please do not schedule a same-day pickup. Scheduling in advance gives us time to prepare your rental. Staff will confirm your pick-up date within 1-2 business days.
*Please note we no longer lend out our wood chipper*
Step 2
Pay a $5 - $25 deposit fee here. Your deposit is fully refundable after returning your tools, or you can opt to turn it into a donation to Solana Center.
Please note that your reservation is not complete until you have paid your deposit!
Step 3
After receiving confirmation from Solana Center staff that your rental materials are available and ready, come to Solana Center during our open hours. Check-in with Solana Center staff, who will direct you to your rented items.
Step 4
Tools are due back within 7 days but may be renewed with Solana Center staff approval for one additional week if there are no pending requests. Return your tools during our open hours. Please check in with Solana Center staff, who will verify your return and initiate a refund of your deposit, if applicable.
Tools that are kept longer than 7 days without renewal will incur a late fee of $1, per tool, per day*.
Interested in donating tools to our library?
We gladly welcome tools in fair/good minimum condition! Contact tool.library@solanacenter.org to coordinate or stop by during store hours to drop them off.
Please note, we can NOT take the following:
- Broken tools
- Painting equipment
- Rechargeable power tools
- Gasoline powered tools
- Reel push mowers
- Liquids, Adhesives, caulks, paints, or other messy building
- Large items we cannot store or handle easily